Francis meets former sex slaves on second day of conference against human trafficking

Church figures and members of police forces attend the third meeting on human trafficking, organised by the bishops of England and Wales in the Vatican: “Enough! [Human trafficking] is a crime against humanity.”

Pope Francis has sent out an appeal against human trafficking, “a crime against humanity”, at a conference in the Vatican, which has brought together humanitarian and social workers and members of police forces from across the world. This morning, Jorge Mario Bergoglio - who has been dealing with this issue since his days as Archbishop of Buenos Aires – went to the Casina Pio IV, which houses the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, to attend the conference in person and meet with four women who were forced into prostitution in the past.

“This is an important meeting but it is also a gesture by people of goodwill who want to shout ‘enough!’” Bergoglio said in the brief speech he gave at the two-day conference entitled “Combating Human Trafficking: Church and Law Enforcement in partnership”.

The conference, which began yesterday in the Vatican and ends today, was organized by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

In his address to the conference’s participants, Francis said: “Human trafficking is an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity. The very fact of our being here to combine our efforts means that we want our strategies and areas of expertise to be accompanied and reinforced by the mercy of the Gospel, by closeness to the men and women who are victims of this crime.Our meeting today includes law enforcement authorities, who are primarily responsible for combating this tragic reality by a vigorous application of the law. It also includes humanitarian and social workers, whose task it is to provide victims with welcome, human warmth and the possibility of building a new life. These are two different approaches, but they can and must go together. To dialogue and exchange views on the basis of these two complementary approaches is quite important. Conferences such as this are extremely helpful, and, I would say, much needed. I believe that one important sign of this is the fact that, one year after your first meeting, you have regrouped from throughout the world in order to advance your common efforts. I thank you for your readiness to work together. I pray that our Lord will assist you and that Our Lady will watch over you.”At the end of the conference, Pope Francis held a private meeting with four former sex slaves from Argentina, Chile, Hungary and the Czech Republic. When he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio helped get prostitutes out of their cycle of exploitation. The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, chaired the conference, the third on this theme since the first meeting in 2012 and a recent anti-human trafficking meeting attended by various religious leaders.Church leaders and representatives of police forces from more than 20 countries met in the Casina Pio IV, which houses the Pontifical Academy of Sciences headed by Argentinean monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo.Vatican Gendarmerie chief Domenico Giani and Italian police chief Alessandro Pansa were among those present at the conference. They and their colleagues greeted Francis after his speech. In a joint declaration signed by all present, participants commit to “combat human trafficking ad slavery together.” In a press conference held in the Vatican newsroom after today’s meeting, London’s Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, explained that with all the religious orders it has across the world- in countries at the start and end of human trafficking routes - the Catholic Church “has a vast network to work with.” Recently elected cardinal Nichols proudly recalled the example set by British police, who are working alongside nuns to put an end to prostitution. Britain also recently published the Modern Slavery Bill to combat human trafficking and other forms of modern-day slavery. Yesterday’s meeting started with a prayer for victims of human trafficking, said by Nigerian Cardinal John Onaiyekan, after which three former sex slaves and other victims of human trafficking told their stories. Over 2, 4 million people around the world fall victim to human trafficking according to Vatican Radio, bringing criminals profits worth an estimated 32 billion dollars each year. Participants at the conference were invited to dinner yesterday evening by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Today more victims gave testimonies, including actress Mira Sorvino, a UN “ambassador” who tweeted: “Delivered my speech at the #HumanTrafficking conference at the #Vatican, then moved to tears by survivor testimony” and the Pope gave a short speech. Speakers at the press conference moderated by Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, included: Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria (“the fact that the Pope came to us instead of waiting for us in the Apostolic Palace made us see him as one of the group”), the Spanish nun Aurelia Agredano Pérez, Vice President of the Congregation of the Adoratrices, Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament and of Charity. Sister Pérez works in 23 countries across four continents, helping to get young girls out of prostitution. The conference’s participants - who now call themselves the “St. Martha’s group “since their first meeting was held in St. Martha’s House, (and of course this is where Francis’ resides) – will meet again in London in November.